Confrontation
by Cristabel
Summary: AU. During a mission, Sark is confronted by one person he really didn't want to see. S/S. Complete.
1. Past

Title: Confrontation 

Summary:  AU in the middle of season two.   In the middle of a mission, Sark is confronted with someone he really didn't want to see. 

Disclaimer:  I don't own them and I'm not making a profit.

Distribution:  Email me to ask.  I'll say yes, but I like to know where it's going.

Author's Note:  Thank you to my awesome beta, Amy, for all of her great advice and support.  I could not have done this without all of your help.

Looking back, Sark supposed he should have known that this moment was coming.

He'd agreed to do this job for Irina.  She'd needed someone she trusted, she'd said.  And besides, both he and Sydney owed her.

He owed everything to Irina.  She rescued him from hell, gave him a job, money, status, training, everything.  Gave him the revenge he needed. 

A simple job, Irina had said.

But, as he knows too well, nothing involving Irina or Sydney is ever simple.

After Irina had escaped from CIA custody in a beautifully orchestrated plan that he was quite proud of, they'd set the next phase of her plan in motion: gaining control of the organizations that had been under the Alliance's control and eliminating Sloane.  And then, the unexpected had happened.

Sydney showed up.

Irina, characteristically, had not been surprised.  Privately, he suspected that this was what she had been hoping for, that this had been the reason she'd turned herself into the CIA.  The opportunity to regain the daughter she'd been forced by the KGB to give up had been too great for even Irina Derevko to resist.

 When they'd surrounded Sloane, Sydney had wanted to be the one to pull the trigger.  

And he'd let her.

He understood about these things.  He'd done his own revenge killing once, a long time ago.

And, then, another unexpected thing had happened.  Sydney had kissed him.  

Since then, things had been going exceptionally well.  With Sydney lying beside him, he was able to sleep peacefully, a very rare occurrence for him.

He should have anticipated this, seen it coming.  

But he'd been so happy with Sydney, he'd been willing to let everything else take second place.

Bad tactical error.  As he realized now, with Agent Vaughn standing before him in the hallway, gun pointing straight at him, maybe he should have been a little bit more cautious.

After all, he understood the lengths a man would go for Sydney Bristow.

"Agent Vaughn.  Wonderful to see you again."

"Where's Sydney?"

_Wouldn't you like to know.   ___

'I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."

_Stall him._

"Don't bullshit me, Sark.  I know you're after Rambaldi info and I know Sydney is here with you."

"I'm assuming, Agent Vaughn, that you're here on your own, without the CIA.  Isn't that a big no-no?"

"I just want to find Sydney.  And you're going to tell me where she is."

"Sorry.   I can't tell you what I don't know."

"Don't lie to me, you arrogant-"

"Drop your gun or I'll shoot you."

Sydney.


	2. Future

It was Sydney.

Vaughn turned, keeping his gun trained on Sark while he looked at Sydney, who stared impassively back at him, her own gun pointed directly at him.

"Syd?"

"I'm serious.  Put your gun down or I'll shoot you."

Sark was, quite frankly, more than a little worried at this moment.  It wasn't just the gun pointed at his head, although that was part of it.

_What if she picks him?_

 After all, she'd been in love with him once.  

Vaughn apparently had been thinking along the same lines because he said, "Syd, I'm sorry."  

"How's Alice?"

Sark watched as the embarrassment showed on Vaughn's face.  

"Vaughn, I don't expect you to understand."

But Sark understands.  He understands that she's given over eight years of her life to SD-6 and to the CIA.  He understands what it's like to be tortured as a result of your job.  He understands the thrill of outwitting and outrunning your enemies.  More importantly, he understands about grief.  He understands the desire for revenge.  He understands how you can take another person's life and, although you'd prefer not to have done it, how you can still look at yourself in the mirror.

He also understands the appeal that Irina has to people.

He's proof of that.

"Syd, why don't you just come back to me with the CIA?  We can work something out.  This isn't you.  This isn't what you want."  

"Did you ever really know me, Vaughn?  Because I don't think I ever really knew you."

_Ouch._

Vaughn is speechless.

"Toss your gun on the floor, towards Sark."

He does.  

Sark picks it up.  

She backs up with Sark into the elevator, her gun still firmly trained on Agent Vaughn.

"Don't follow us or try to find us."

_Us_.

The elevator doors began to slide closed.

_We're…Us.___

Normally, in a situation like this, where Sark had the upper hand, he would do his best to look smug.

But in this case, he doesn't.

As it is, Agent Vaughn already hates him. 

And a part of him can't help feeling sorry for the guy.

After all, Sark had been afraid that he would be the one Sydney didn't choose.

So he just leaves Agent Vaughn behind.

They're silent as they descend.  He knows she wants to get out of there as fast as possible, but he also suspects she's not talking because that encounter was difficult and painful.  The elevator travels down, and they get off at the first floor, heading down the set of stairs at the back of the building, and out the back exit.  Together they enter the alley and move toward the parking garage next door. 

Not the best planning, Sark admits, but he didn't expect to encounter any trouble on this mission.  He doubts that Agent Vaughn will be able to catch up with them, but he hurries anyway.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For coming and rescuing me."

She smiles then, one of her real smiles.  "You'd do the same thing for me."

_Yeah, I would.  I'll do everything that I can to keep you safe.  _

_Because I've fallen in love with you._

_How could I not?_

_Just don't break my heart, ok?_

"Let's go."


End file.
